


The Next Surprise

by misanthropiclycanthrope



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Halloween, M/M, Pumpkins, Rickyl Writers' Group Halloween Challenge 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-31
Updated: 2017-10-31
Packaged: 2019-01-27 06:17:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12575564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misanthropiclycanthrope/pseuds/misanthropiclycanthrope
Summary: Pumpkins, a party, and surprises.





	The Next Surprise

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt was : “Gen? Carving pumpkins.” I wrangled some words and let Daryl interpret that question mark for himself.

The chill in the air nipped at Daryl’s bare arms and he wished he’d had his poncho for his stint on watch. Still, he was heading home now, trudging through drifts of flame-colored leaves. _Home _was still a strange concept after so long spent out in the wild, nothing between them and the danger that lurked everywhere they turned, but now they had a place to stay. _Walls_.__

__Daryl had always been at home outdoors, at one with nature, but even he had to admit there was something to be said for having a warm hearth to return to._ _

__There was someone, however, braving the cool evening, forgoing the comfort of their newfound house in order to sit out on the porch and…do whatever the hell it was he was doing._ _

__“The hell ya doin’?”_ _

__Rick glanced up and grinned, oblivious to Daryl’s confusion._ _

__“Carol made pie.”_ _

__Daryl narrowed his eyes and waited. There had to more to it than that, some explanation that actually made sense. Or maybe Rick was on the road back to crazy town. Daryl sure hoped not._ _

__“She saved me a couple that were goin’ bad. Figured since fall’s now here it’s gotta soon be Halloween.”_ _

__So he really was hacking away at the hollowed out shell of a pumpkin. Huh. Daryl still didn’t get it. “You want a scare, ya just gotta go the other side of them walls.”_ _

__Rick frowned but refused to be discouraged, continuing to work at the pumpkin with his knife. “It ain’t just about that. It’s rememberin’ the dead, honoring them. Besides, I reckon we all deserve a bit of a break.”_ _

__There was some sense to that, but Daryl remained confused, and it must have shown because Rick turned the pumpkin around so Daryl could see. Instead of the traditional creepy, grinning face, Rick had been fashioning a…something else. Daryl squinted, trying to tease meaning from the hacked-out shapes._ _

__Rick frowned unhappily at his obvious mystification. “It’s a cat.”_ _

__Daryl couldn’t hold back a snort of amusement. “Reckon Judith coulda done better.” Even tipping his head to the side for a different angle didn’t help resolve the thing into a cat, but Daryl eventually took pity on Rick and his crestfallen expression._ _

__And nope. He damn well wasn’t gonna admit just how well that pout worked on his resolve._ _

__He sank down beside Rick, drawing his own knife from its sheath and gesturing at the pumpkin. “Lemme see that.”_ _

__Rick handed it over, watching intently as Daryl set about the task of tidying the cuts he’d made, smoothing the lines into something far neater. And recognisably a cat._ _

__“You’ve done this before,” he accused, but it was playful, with no real ire._ _

__“Naw, ain’t never.” Daryl didn’t look up from his task, the quiet confession mumbled into his lap. He could feel Rick’s gaze on him, assessing, and was glad of the long bangs obscuring his face._ _

__Rick didn’t quit. It wasn’t in his nature, and that tenacity was the reason they were still breathing, so Daryl couldn't begrudge him the trait. And it somehow wasn’t so bad to be the subject of someone’s attention when that person was Rick. “You musta been trick-or-treatin’.”_ _

__Daryl hitched a shoulder. “Never lived in the kinda neighborhood y’all could go knockin’ on strangers’ doors. Getcha a kickin’ ’steada candy.”_ _

__There was a beat of silence. Rick wasn’t the sort for pity, but Daryl still deflected his attention by holding out the finished pumpkin, now adorned with what was incontrovertibly a cat._ _

__“Shit, Daryl.” Rick sounded genuinely impressed. “That’s… _amazin’_.”_ _

__Daryl ducked his head at the praise, shy. Weren’t nothing special, but Rick’s obvious approval, not to mention the happy smile on his face, made Daryl feel warm inside._ _

__Rick took the finished pumpkin, placed it carefully on the deck beside him, then held the second out to Daryl. “Now you gotta do this one.”_ _

__Rolling his eyes, Daryl huffed a long-suffering sigh, but he felt a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He didn’t mind, not really, not for Rick, and as he started work on the second pumpkin he somehow didn’t even feel cold any more. The shared body heat, he guessed, sitting so close to Rick, their shoulders and elbows brushing as he carved._ _

__Rick fell silent, letting him concentrate, and Daryl worked diligently, his lip caught between his teeth. He wasn’t artistic, couldn’t paint or shit like that, but he knew how to use his knife, and it wasn’t so difficult to figure what lines to cut to create the shape he wanted. When he was as satisfied as he could be, he slipped the knife away and handed the pumpkin back to Rick for inspection, feeling like he imagined a school kid felt when turning in their homework, hoping for a decent grade._ _

__“Wow.” Rick traced the shape of the stag’s head with his fingers, the tines of its antlers, and if Daryl didn’t know better, he’d have said he looked _awed_. “These are real good. We _gotta_ have a party now, show ’em off.”_ _

__Daryl wasn’t a party person, but if Rick was talking about a kind of informal gathering, just them, friends and family, he reckoned it wouldn’t be _so_ bad._ _

__On one condition._ _

__“I ain’t wearin’ no costume.”_ _

__“But you gotta if you want a treat. That’s the rule.”_ _

__“Pfft.”_ _

__Rick laughed, a throaty chuckle that was heard all too rarely. A sound Daryl kinda liked. After carefully placing the pumpkin down beside the other, Rick looked back to Daryl, his head cocked to the side in that thoughtful way of his, and this time Daryl didn’t shy away from his gaze._ _

__“You got any other hidden talents I don’t know about?”_ _

__“Dunno.” Daryl shrugged, lips twitching in a teasing smile. “Hafta wait an’ see won’tcha?”_ _

__Maybe it was Daryl’s imagination, but Rick seemed genuinely intrigued by the prospect of getting to know Daryl better, the side he didn’t show so openly._ _

__And Daryl, for once, didn’t feel so inclined to hide._ _

____

* * * *

True to his word, Rick organized the thing, and a few nights later the whole group came together for a slightly unorthodox Halloween party. Carol had been busy baking—there was pie and cake and plates of cookies—and Maggie had taken charge of decorations. Instead of cobwebs and bats and stuff, she’d used fallen leaves and pine cones, and had given his pumpkins pride of place, the light from the candles she’d placed inside flickering, bringing the carvings to life.

They’d somehow created a celebration that not only remembered and honored those they’d lost, but also represented their determination to fight for life. Just as the trees would regrow their leaves, they too would refuse to be defeated by forces beyond their control.

And Daryl…actually kinda liked it. It reminded him of the woods, the hours he’d spent out amongst nature, tracking and hunting and just _being_.

Also, it perfectly suited the ‘costume’ he’d found. Sure, it was only a set of fancy dress antlers he’d found on a run perched atop his head, but it was more of a concession than he’d ever have made if not for Rick. Daryl guessed they were meant to be reindeer antlers for Christmas, but they weren’t sparkly or nothing so he figured they’d do.

When Michonne caught sight of him she started laughing so hard Daryl thought she might be in danger of busting a lung. His glare only seemed to make it worse, so Daryl proceeded to ignore her, silently vowing revenge. Carol beamed with delight, petting his cheek and telling him he looked _cute _. Daryl batted her away, his eye-roll and growl of good-humored irritation making her smile even wider.__

__But it was all worth it when he saw Rick’s reaction._ _

__Spotting Daryl from across the room, Rick executed an impressive double take, faltering in his conversation with Tara as his face split into a huge grin. Daryl’s ears heated up._ _

__Probably the embarrassment, looking like a goddamn fool._ _

__He stuck it out for a while, and when all the people and chatter became too much, he slipped outside for a smoke. Didn’t think anyone would notice, but before long he heard footsteps behind him and didn’t need to turn around to know it was Rick._ _

__“Hey.” Rick propped his hip on the rail beside Daryl, chuckling softly when the little girl in his arms immediately reached out for the other man. Daryl tossed the butt of his cigarette before taking Judith who, with delight sparkling in her eyes, squirmed until she could get a hold of Daryl’s hair in her tiny fist, tugging and knocking his antlers askew._ _

__“I’mma teach ya to hunt deer soon’s ya old enough, Asskicker,” Daryl promised, dislodging her and settling her more comfortably in the crook of his arm. She was getting heavier, but still wasn’t any bother. And she did look adorable in the princess dress Carl had found for her._ _

__Then there was another hand at his head, Rick’s this time, setting his antlers straight, fingers lingering maybe a moment longer than necessary in his hair._ _

__“I reckon you’ve earned your treat.”_ _

__“Yeah?”_ _

__Rick produced one of Carol’s chocolate chip cookies and offered it to Daryl. It was only a little thing, and partly a joke, but the gesture touched Daryl. Rarely did anyone give a Dixon a second thought, and _never_ a gift._ _

__He snorted a laugh that didn’t quite cover his smile and accepted the cookie, breaking a piece off so Judith could share._ _

__“Now I guess I don’t gotta trick ya?”_ _

__“I sure hope not.”_ _

__Daryl shook his head. “Nah.” He would do most anything for Rick, but never hurt him. “Wouldn’t do that to ya, Rick.”_ _

__No, there were enough monstrous things lurking out there beyond the walls, both living and dead, lying in wait for them, ready to pounce._ _

__As long as Rick continued to fight, carving a path for them all through the obstacles ahead, Daryl would be beside him, helping any way he could._ _

__But._ _

__“Next time, _you’re_ dressin’ up.”_ _

__Rick laughed, loud and genuine, eyes sparkling with mirth, and clapped Daryl on the shoulder. “Deal.”_ _

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write more, but sadly time was not on my side. Thanks for letting me take part!
> 
> Title taken from ‘This Is Halloween” from _The Nightmare Before Christmas_. Because I didn’t have a title so my good buddy ComeHitherAshes came to the rescue – thank you (:


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